STATUS Of ADRENAL SECRETION OF CORTILSOL IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITILS

Abstract

Our study wacarried out on 29 patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis diagnosed according to the American collage of rheumatology revised criteria for rheumatoid arthritis (Arnett et al., 1988). These patients were divided into 4 groups according to the disease activity using Mallya and Mace Score (1981).

All patients were subjected to the following:

•!• Full history taking and complete clinical examination.

•!• Locomotor system examination with stress on the parameters of disease activity of RA. •!• Laboratory investigations analysis including the following: - Erythrocyte sedimentation rate.

- Haemoglobin percent.

- Latex fixation test for rheumatoid factor.

- Measurement of serum cortisol level at 8 a.m., p.m, using radioimmunoassay (RlA) Kit in both patients and control group which included 10 healthy individuals.